Former Walter Johnson student had history that worried police

The Monday morning hearing was a civil procedure to ensure Luis Cabrera, 18, isn’t allowed to access or purchase weapons, regardless of what happens during his criminal proceedings.

WASHINGTON — Walter Johnson High School students alerted a school resource officer about Snapchat posts showing a former student holding a rifle and threatening to shoot up the school, a detective told a Montgomery County District Court judge Monday morning at a hearing intended to keep the teen from accessing or purchasing weapons.

Luis Cabrera, 18, is charged with one count of threatening mass violence at the school.

During a civil procedure called a temporary extreme risk protection order hearing, Montgomery County Detective Mark Drotus told Judge John Moffett about the disturbing posts from Oct. 12.

Those posts, which conveyed direct threats to the school, were what led to Cabrera’s arrest last week in Towson.

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When Cabrera was arrested, police also seized a pair of loaded assault rifles and extra ammunition. Police said those weapons were the ones displayed in Cabrera’s social media posts, but he does not own them.

During the hearing, Drotus told the judge that Cabrera had a history that left police concerned.

The school resource officer at Walter Johnson first became involved with Cabrera back in February when an incident led the then-student to be referred to a crisis center for alcohol counseling.

On Oct. 5, Cabrera also posted a picture on social media featuring someone else with firearms.

The judge ordered that Cabrera not have access to weapons or be able to purchase them. Cabrera will be back in District Court on Oct. 29 so a judge can decide whether to extend the temporary protection order.

Cabrera still has to appear in Circuit Court for a bond review hearing on the criminal charges.

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